Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site pond construction vs. lake construction

This is just a question I've been wondering about. It doesn't have any bearing on anything I'll be doing with my ponds. I'm just curious.

My question is basically: when they build big lakes, like lake Fork or Lake Palestine in my area, do they do a lot of dirt work to seal them like I've read about people doing for ponds on this forum?

I've read about membrane liners and compacted clay among other things that completely cover the area of the pond that's supposed to hold water. Obviously they aren't going to have a membrane liner for a huge lake. But it's hard to imagine the amount of clay they would have to bring in to line a lake the size of Lake Fork. But maybe that's what they do??? Does anyone know? If they don't bring in insane amounts of clay, why is it that the lakes hold water without a liner?

Maybe they only build lakes in places where the soil would already hold water and all that's needed is a dam. I'm clueless but curious.

Good question. My guess. Most of those type lakes are built on existing waterways (rivers , creeks etc) . Those water sheds having had water on them for years are more apt to have clay soils. The ones I have seen built did not haul in clay for the bottom. They pushed the best clay to put in the dam. The water control structures were concrete and steel.

they do a lot of soil testing before they build a lake. they do compaction test every 6", and they bore holes into the soil all through the core checking to see what type of dirt is there. some of these bore holes will go over 40' deep. they also bore holes away from the dam looking for the best material in the vicinity to use. after all this most of them still seep thats why they have pump stations all along the backface about 3/4 of the way down it. they pump it back into the lake as it leaks and can also tell how bad its leaking,if the leaks getting worse etc. etc. by the amount of water pumped back.

Simply stated, when they design a lake it boild down to a simple equation called a "water balance".

Lake Storage = input (stream flow in) - infiltration into the soil - evaporation into the air - transporation (what the plants drink), run off needed - downstream - any other outputs like irrigation. All of these are calculated using some lengthy calculationa and after some serious investigation but in general there it is. You can be suprised how much water can be lost due to these various processes. I know some lakes in my old home in MT loose 43 inches a year just from evaporation. I know work i did in Iraq showed 50 percent of water being consumed by uncontrolled plant growth. You can dam up a bunch of sandy soild all you want and never get water to stand in the pond/lake. There are cases where they built major dams just to have most the water move through a seam in the soil around the dam or under it (the need for a keyways is only part of the challenge).

Okay, enough nerd talk.

Welcome AK. We like nerd talk.

Very interesting points. Seems kinda stupid but I never really considered how much water plants would consume.

Evaporation in our neck of the woods is a significant issue. It is not unusual for DIED and I to lose 60 to 80 inches during the course of our dry season.

only to some; wait til ya see Missouri Dave's garden....you're synapses are gonna flame out

Hopefully not, my synapses are only barely smoldering as it is.

Here is a prime example of not doing enough test holes.
http://www.geol.ucsb.edu/faculty/sylvester/Teton_Dam/narrative.html
http://www.geol.ucsb.edu/faculty/sylvester/Teton_Dam/Teton%20Dam.html

You guys are asking all sorts of intelligent questions and making thought provoking comments. All I can think of is to wonder if AK Migrator's screen name really means that he's an arms dealer!